Rakuten & AST SpaceMobile: Japan's 1st LEO Video Call with Standard phone

Written By Richard Last Name

Rakuten Mobile and AST SpaceMobile have reached a major milestone with Japan’s first-ever video call using just a standard smartphones and a LEO satellite. The successful test brings Rakuten’s forthcoming Saikyo Satellite Service one step closer to reality, promising to extend mobile coverage across Japan’s most remote regions.

Using AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellite, the call linked Fukushima and Tokyo via everyday devices, proving the power of space-based broadband to bridge the country’s toughest coverage gaps. With commercial launch slated for late 2026, this tech could redefine mobile access in Japan, making it truly available anywhere.

Source: https://corp.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/english/news/press/2025/0423_01/

Richard Last Name
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